Monday, September 10, 2012

Israeli gay couple seeking divorce from rabbinical court

The first Jewish Israeli male couple to marry has filed for divorce in a Tel Aviv rabbinical court that never recognized the marriage.

It is unknown if the rabbinical court will provide a divorce for Uzi Even, the first openly gay Knesset member, and Dr. Amit Kama, Ynet reported. They were married in Canada in 2004 after living together for more than a decade.

Even, a professor of physical chemistry at Tel Aviv University, and Kama -- the first same-sex male couple in Israel to have their legal right of adoption recognized -- split three years ago. Even now wants to marry another man abroad, but cannot until he is divorced from Kama, according to Ynet.

Under Israeli law, the rabbinical court is the only body authorized to annul the marriage of Jewish citizens in Israel. The Interior Ministry will not dissolve the marriage without an order from the rabbinical court. Only Canadian citizens can be divorced in Canada, Ynet reported.

A separation agreement has been approved by the Ramat Gan Family Court.

Even and Kama filed a lawsuit with Israel's Supreme Court that forced the Interior Ministry to register their marriage in 2006 recognizing the marriage abroad.

In 2009, a Tel Aviv court gave them the right to adopt their 30-year-old foster son, whom they took in 15 years earlier after he was kicked out of his home for revealing his homosexuality. -- JTA

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